Stop device for circular-knitting machines.



E. H. LUDWIG. STOP DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MAGHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.29,19OG.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1 I zquucnl'm Witnesses QAA W No. 836,691 PATENTED NOV. 27, 1906.

E. H. LUDWIG.

STOP DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHBET 2v witnesses 3, l I W M Guam No. 836,691. I PATENTED NOV 27, 1906. E. H. LUDWIG'. STOP DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.29,1906.

3 SHEETSSHBET 3 wamwm v M I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST H. LUD'VVIG, OF MANITOVVOO, WISCONSIN.

STQP DEVEGE FOR OlFiCULAR-KNlT'l'lNG MACHlNESL Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2'7, 1906.

Application filed January 29, 1906. Serial No. 298,415.

new and improved means for stopping the machine when any one of the threads breaks or when the yarn runs off the bobbin and to effect the stoppage before the end of the yarn is all knitted up.

A further object of the invention is to form a knot device which will stop the machine when a big knot or other imperfection in the yarn occurs, the stoppage being effected without breaking the yarn either at the knot or at the needle.

A further object of the invention is to furnish means for stopping the machine when any imperfection occurs in the fabric or when'disarrangemcnt of a needle, happens or if a latch or a needle should break or imperfect work results from any other cause.

The stop devices are such that in any case the machine will be stopped immediately before any damage is done either to the goods or to the machine] In the accompanying drawingsv the invention is shown applied to a machine in which the entire upper part of the machine with the bobbirncarrier revolves; but the invention may also be applied to machines having a fixed bobbin-support and in which the needle-cylinder and the fabric revolve.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine provided with the invention. Fig. 2 is a to) View thereof. Fi 3 is an enlarged detall illustrating the break device and also the knot device and the means whereby the circuit is closed b either of said devices. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail in perspective, illustrating the circuit-closing attachment, which acts when an im erfect fabric is produced from a needle brea ing or otherwise. -Figs; 5 andfi are enlar ,ed' details of the electricallybper ated late for controlling the belt-shifting device by means of which the machine is started or stopped. L

' Referring particular] to Fl 1, 6 indicates -p the driving-belt, 7 the ast pu ley, and 8 the loose pulley on the driving-shaft 9, which has" a pinion 10, which drives the cam plate or ring 11, carrying the arch 12, which supports the central standard 13, on which the bobbincarrier 14 is mounted, so that'the bobbins 15 revolve with the machine. 16 is carried by a sliding rod 17 and serves to shift the belt 6 from the fast to the loose pul ley. It is operated in one direction, to stop the machine by a coil-spring 18 and in the other direction tostart the machine by a handlever 19. The rod 17 is controlled by a latch consisting of a lever 20, having a projection arranged to engage in a notch 21 in the rod when said rod is thrown in to shift theb'elt onto the fast ulley. The lever is pivotally connected to a rod 22, which is movable up and down in a bracket 23, attached to the frame of the machine, and this rod carries a latch 24. which -engages over a swinging armature 25, arranged to be actuated by the electromagnets 26. A spring 27, coiledaround the rod under the bracket, tends to force said rod down, and thereby release the" latch to allow the belt-shifter to stop the ma' chine. At itslower end the rod 27 carries an insulating-point 28, arranged to strike one leaf 29 of a circuit 0 ener-or switch, the other leaf of which is in i'cate'd at 30. The magnets and circuit-closer are sup ortd by brackets on the frame of the mac 'ine. The

purpose of the switch-is to open the circuit as soon as the machine is stopped.

A battery or other source of current is indicatedat 31, connected on OIIQSiClG by wire 1 to the leaf 29 of the switch and on the other side by a wire 2 to one end of the magnetcoil. The leaf 30 of the switch is connected by a wire 4 to e central post 32, and the other end of the magnet-coil is connected by a wire 3 to a' rod 33, which supports and is connected to a copper or other conducting-ring 34. The post 32 and ring-34 are concentric with the axis of rotation of the machine and they are su ported by a crossapie ce 35, mounted The belt-shifter upon iollow standards 36, resting upon the 32 and 33 are capable of' necessary vertical 7 adjustment by means of'brackets 37 and 38, having set-'scrcws 39 and 40, the brackets be ing supported on thecross-piece 35. Insula- .tion' is shown at .41. At the lower end of the 0st 32 is a metal disk 42.

Rotatable withthe central staf dard 13 is a l staii 43, which has at the top ahead 44; surrounding which is a-metal ring 45, carried by l right 46 on the arm,

' bobbint 'ough a sai head. Projecting radially from this ring are metal arms 46, which have for the yarn and which carry the brea and knot devices. These arms correspond in positionand number to the bobbins and more or'lessmay be used accordingly.

The stop device for abreak is shown in detail in Fi The yarn y is drawn from the guide-hole 46 in thearrn 46 and'thence through a guide-hole in ariupthen through a tension device 46, thencelthrough a loop 47 at the inner end of a. spring-arm 47, and thence through a guide-hole 46 down to the needles. 'The spring-arm 47 consists of a iece of wire which is fastened at'its outer end to a In 47 on the end of the arm 46, so that it ten s to lift or swing up, beingnormally prevented by the tension of the yarn. that thering 45 carries metal s ring-fingers 48, which bear againstthe rim 0 the disk 42, so that said ring and the arms 46 are charged from the 'wire 4. The ring 34 is charged from the wire 3 and is located in such positionabove the arm 46 that when the yarnbreaks V or the end runs off the bobbin the released tension allows the wire 47 to spring up and come in contact with the ring 34, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, thereby closing the circ liit.

The knot device-is also'shown-in Fig. 3,and consists of a finger 49, projecting from'the arm 46 and having pivoted thereto at 51 a swinging finger 50, which carries a wire 53,

bent so asto normally project above the ring 34. A spring 52 is hooked around the finger and fastened to the finger 49, and a screw 54 serves to adjust the distance of the lower end of the fin er 50 from the finger 49. The yarn 1 runs between the fingers 49 and 50, and the device is so set-that normally the yarn will cause no movement of the swinging finger; but in case a knot or'large imperfec-v tion in the yarn reachessaid finger it will I swing the same inwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, thereby-bringing the wire 53 in;

contact with the ring 34, which also closes the circuit. I

The stop device for imperfect fabric resulting from broken needle or other cause is specifically shown in Fig. 4. A swinging foot 55 is pivoted at 56 to a bracket 57, secured to the arch 12 in proper position-to travel over the fabric on the rim of the, cylinder 58.v This foot carries a bent fork 59, the branches of which embrace therebetween a post 60, supported upon apiece of insulation 61 on the arch 1-2. The footis. pressed to contact with the fabric by a spring .67. The bracket and foot are connected by a wire-62 to the ring 45, and the 0st 60 is c'onnectedby a wire 63 to a metal piece 64, set in a block of insulation 65 on the head 44, and this piece 64 ides It should be stated .tivelyfixe'd, and the other aaaci carries an outwardlylkcxtendin strip 66,the outer end of whic rests in wipin contact upon the ring 34; In case of a ho e or drop-stitch in the fabric the foot 55 will drop into the hole, causing one arm of the fork 59 to come incontact with the post 60, thereby-closing the circuit and stop ing the machine. If a needle should brea or at out of order, the work in the machine will unch up at such place, and when'the foot 55 runs over such spot it will lift the same and throw the other arm of the fork 59 in contact with the post 60, thereby closing the circuit.

wire bruslijor The switch at 29 and 30 is, as said before,

closed when the latch is lifted and when. the

machine is going. When the circuit is closed '25, thereby releasing the latch 24 and allowing the rod 22 to drop in consequence of the s ring 27. This releases the latch and allows t e spring 18 to throw the belt-shifter and shift the belt to the loose pulley. When the rod 22 drops, its lower point 28 strikes the leaf 29, and thereby opens the circuit at ,the switch, and the circuit remains open until the.

rod and latch are a ain lifted, which may conveniently be done by a handle 70, projecting from the rod.

I claim 1. An electrically-operated stop device for circular-knitting machines, having a normally'open electric circuit, two contact devices connected respectivcl to oppositesides of the circuit, one of said evices being relabeing rotatable with the rotary parts of the machine and norrnall held out of contact with the said device by the-tension of the yarn andarranged to close the contact when the tension is interrupted, and means actuated by the closure of thecontact to stop the machine.

2. An electrically operated stop device for circularknitting machines, having an electric circuit containing a source of energy,

too

a contact-ring connected to one side of the A .circuit, yarn-guides rotating with the machine and provided with springs connected to the other side of the circuit and en aged by the yarn and held out of contact wit the ring by-thetension thereof, and arranged to spring into'contact when the tension is interrupted, and electrically-.0 erated means to stop the machme when sai contact occurs.-

3;. An electrically -operated stop device for circular-knitting machines, comprising-a normally open electiic circuit having a source of energy, and means actuated thereto stop the machine when the circuit is clbsed, in combination with circuit-closing parts which comprise a ringconnected to one side of the. circuit, and yarn-guiding arms connected to the other side of the circuit and rotating with the bobbin-carrier in proximity to said ring, and having yielding parts ongaged by the yarn and retracted by the tension thereof and arranged to move to contact with the ring when the tension is interrupted.

4. In an electrically-0perated stop device for circulanknitting machines, in combination, a normally open electric circuit having a source of energy, means actuated thereby to stop the machine when the circuit is closed, a contact-ring connected to one side of the circuit, and a plurality of yarnguiding arms connected to the otheriside of the circuit and having yielding parts in proximity to the ring, each of said parts being engaged and held in retracted position by the yarnv from onh of the bob bins and adapted to advance to contact with the ring when. the tension on the yarn is interrupted, the ring and arms being rotatable with respect to each other.

5. in an electiicallywperated stop device for circular-knitting machines, in combination, 'a normally open electric circuit having a source of energy, means actuated thereby to stop the machine when the circuit. is closed, a rotary bobbin-carrier having arms rotatable therewith and corresponding'in, number with the bobbins, each arm being provided with a movable contact part in the circuit and engaged by the yarn and operated by abnormal condition thereof, and a fixed contact-ring in the 'circuit and extending around the axis of said carrier in proximity to the arms, the said contact arts heingconstructed and arranged to stri rethe ring when oper ated'. I

6. In an electrically-operated stop device for circular-knitting machines,'in combina tion, a normally open electric circuit having source of energy, means actuated thereby to stop the machine when the circuit is closed,

a rotary bobbin-carrier above the bed of the machine, guide-arms for the yarn, supported above the bobbins and rotating therewith, a tension device and a knot device carried by each arm and engaged by the yarn and connected to one side of the circuit, and a ring supported above the plane of rotation of said arms and cdnnected to the other side of the circuit, the tension and knot devices having members extending toward and 'arranged to contact with the ring when the devices are actuated.

7. In an electrically-operated stop device for circular-knitting machines, in combination, a normally open electric circuit having a source of energy, means actuatcdthereby to stop the machine when the circuit isclosed,

a rotary head having arms projecting therefrom and provided with guides for the yarn, a knot device on each arm comprising two fingers between which the yarn runs, one iinger being pivoted to swing when struck by a knot and having an extendingcontact anember connected to one side of the circuit, and a ring connected to the other side of; the circuit and extending around the axis of the head and so located that the contact member will strlke the same when the 'llligfil 1s swung 8. In an electrical stop device for c1rcularknitting machines, in combination, a normally open electric circuit havinga source of energy, means actuated thereby to stop the machine when the circuit is closed, a swinging foot which travels over the fabric beside the needles, a contact device carried by said foot and connected in oneside of the circuit, and an opposite contact device connected in the other side of the circuit, one of the said connections including a conducting-ring and a brush which travels around the same.

9. In an electrical stop device for circularknitting machines, in combination, a nor mally open electric circuit having a source of energy, means actuated thereby to stop the machine when the circuit is closed, a swinging foot which travels over the fabric beside the needles and having a contact device connected to one side of the circuit, and a cooperating contact device connected to the other side of the circuit, one of said devices having opposite points between which the other device is located, so that the circuit will be closed by swing of the foot in either direction. I

10. In an electrical stop device for circularknitting machines, the combination with a normally open electric circuit having a source of energy, and means actuated thereby to stop the machine when the circuit is closed,

of a fixed conducting-ring extending around the axis of the machine and connected to one side of thecircuit, and a plurality of circuitclosing stop devices of different kinds carried- 4 by the rotating parts of the machine and-each having a contact-piece arranged to close upon the ring.

v In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST H; L nWId Witnesses:

FRANK HOFFMAN, ALMA E. KLINGHOLZ. 

